[Greek Mythology] The Demons Under My Command - Chapter 44

The drumbeats were vibrant, the music was peaceful and harmonious, and the enchanting melody in the hall continued without end as the dancing girls changed to a new performance.

The two were locked in a stalemate, and Li Jia completely dropped the pretense.

She took the initiative to lift her veil, nestled in the woman’s arms, and asked, “Your Majesty, how did you recognize me?”

It was truly strange. She had concealed her appearance and hadn’t made a sound. How did Hera discover her?

The woman pinched the soft flesh under her elbow and sighed, “You concealed your appearance, but you didn’t change your figure. The other dancing girls have narrow shoulders and slender waists, but you’ve been raised by me to be…”

Hera chuckled, “…quite voluptuous.”

Li Jia: “…”

This was just a roundabout way of calling her fat.

She truly wanted to spray her face with salt soda, but unfortunately, the enemy was strong and she was weak. She only dared to bare her teeth, resolving that she must lose weight when she got back!

She absolutely had to resist Winslow’s baked small cakes and cookies.

Hera watched her pouting expression, the smile in her eyes deepening. She lowered her head and pressed a light kiss on her forehead.

She whispered in Li Jia’s ear, “What are you thinking about?”

“Thinking about losing weight.”

Li Jia answered without thinking.

“Losing what?”

The woman’s hand gently slid down her waistline. When her fingertip touched Li Jia’s soft lower abdomen, she deliberately pinched it. “This is just right, it’s warm to hold.”

She paused, her gaze locking onto Li Jia’s eyes, her tone filled with seriousness: “Even if you change your appearance, your voice, or even become emaciated, I can still recognize you.”

Li Jia looked up at her and met the fiery red eyes that held a blaze.

“Even if one day, you turn to ash.”

Hera’s thumb gently rubbed her jawline, her voice so soft it almost melted into the music in the hall.

“I can pick out your speck of dust from a pile of ash.”

The musicians in the hall plucked their instruments, and the clear music intertwined with the brass instruments. The dancing girls’ skirts continued to flutter.

Li Jia, however, felt that the music and dancing in the entire hall had become a blurred background, leaving only the woman’s body temperature and the words whispered in her ear, which made her earlobes flush red.

After a long time, thinking that confession was the best policy, Li Jia hesitated and opened her mouth: “Aren’t you going to ask why I’m here?”

Hera’s emotions were flat. She used her fingertip to hook a strand of Li Jia’s hair, winding it around her knuckle repeatedly. “No plans to.”

Hera’s answer was unexpected. The banquet was coming to an end, and Li Jia started to get anxious.

If she couldn’t get Zeus to take the sleeping pill, Demeter would certainly ascend to the wedding registry with him when she returned, and the entire plan would be ruined, having also wasted the system’s hard-earned points.

Forget it!

It was worth a shot!

“Jie-jie (Elder Sister).”

Li Jia organized her words, tugged at Hera’s sleeve, and said awkwardly.

“Do me a favor.”

“Only you can help me.”

The word only was enough.

Hera rested her chin on the top of Li Jia’s head and said flatly, “Speak.”

Her meaning was that she agreed. Li Jia breathed a sigh of relief, leaned in, and whispered the plan into her ear.

After listening, Hera’s originally feverish heart instantly calmed down. So, Li Jia didn’t mean that. But Hera’s hand, which was resting on Li Jia’s waist, suddenly tightened.

Li Jia could clearly feel the heat of her palm and the sudden coldness of her breath, which wasn’t anger but more like a stifling heaviness from being hidden from.

Before Li Jia could explain, Hera had already grasped her small hand and said coldly, “Give me the item. I’ll do it.”

At this point, there was no other choice.

Li Jia subconsciously handed over the rice-grain-sized sleeping pill. Hera immediately dropped it into her own wine glass. Li Jia was stunned and cried out softly, “No! That way you’ll definitely be discovered.”

Li Jia grabbed Hera’s wrist, her eyes full of urgency. She didn’t want to cause Hera any trouble. If this cup of wine was given, the feud between Hera and Zeus would be completely cemented.

Hera raised an eyebrow: “Then tell me what we should do?”

The sleeping pill had already dissolved into the wine glass. This cup of wine had to be delivered. The item couldn’t be changed, but the person could.

Li Jia leaned closer to Hera’s ear: “I’ll go deliver it then. Even if something happens, they won’t be able to trace it back to you.”

“Li Jia, what do you take me for?”

Hera’s voice deepened. She raised her hand and picked up the wine that had been mixed with the medicine; the deep purple liquid shimmered with a fluid texture in the glass. “Someone who you ask for help when you need it, and push away when there’s a risk?”

“Am I so worthless in your heart—someone who can share happiness but not adversity?”

“No, I’m not…”

Li Jia was choked up by the question. She opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.

The music and dancing in the hall came to an abrupt stop, and the Master of Ceremonies’ congratulatory speech was heard. The banquet was already at its end.

Li Jia was like an ant on a hot pan, just about to say something more when Hera held the back of her neck, gently pressing her to sit still on the chair.

“Watch.”

Hera’s voice fell into her ear, mixed with the music in the hall, taking on a sense of hazy unreality.

She rose with the wine glass. The golden velvet skirt swept the floor, leaving an elegant arc.

The firelight fell on her cool white skin, making the composure in her eyes appear even clearer.

She walked unhurriedly towards Zeus, as if the cup she held was not a medicated wine capable of causing turmoil, but just an ordinary fine wine.

Zeus felt someone approaching him. He looked up and met the red pupils he had dreamed of. His heart immediately skipped a beat.

What did she want to do?

Zeus started to get nervous. His previously slouching posture instantly straightened, waiting for her arrival.

Unexpectedly, Hera walked past him, approaching Poseidon’s seat next to him.

Poseidon was completely drunk and confused. When he suddenly looked up and saw Hera standing in front of his table, he was startled.

“For the Sea God’s birthday banquet, I have not yet offered my congratulations. There were some disagreements between us before, but today, I’ll take this opportunity to toast you.” Hera smiled, holding up the wine glass.

Poseidon was somewhat surprised. Hera had never proactively sought out anyone. Thinking about what had happened before, he assumed she felt she was in the wrong.

After all, he was the Sea God, and as fellow deities, she had hurt him and also received the divine punishment. Neither of them had an easy time.

Once he figured this out, encouraged by the alcohol, he immediately put on airs and said with a sullen face, “Who wants to drink the wine of a madwoman like you? Who? Who gave you an invitation?”

Amphitrite stepped forward to smooth things over, apologizing, “It was my doing. The Goddess of Marriage is among the Twelve Olympians. It was my presumption to invite her.”

Poseidon’s face darkened, and he wanted to get angry and blame Amphitrite.

Seeing this, Zeus wanted to show off his power in front of Hera. He stood up, took the wine glass from her, and drank it all in one gulp. The cup of wine mixed with the sleeping pill was empty.

Zeus smacked his lips, assuming it was just a high-proof alcohol. He wiped his mouth, smiling, and looked at the golden-haired woman with a flattering expression: “Amphitrite was only being kind. I’ll drink this wine of apology on his behalf.”

Li Jia watched, dumbfounded, from her seat. He drank it just like that?

Hera ignored Zeus, turned to Amphitrite, and said, “The ocean only needs one Sea Queen.”

After saying that, she turned and returned to her original seat, leaving behind a furious Poseidon, a bewildered Zeus, and a pensive Amphitrite.

Seeing Hera successfully get Zeus to drink the medicine, Li Jia felt guilty. After much consideration, she tentatively asked, “Your Majesty, aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

“Like why I did this?”

“Or what I gave him?”

Hera glanced at her, expressionless: “I won’t ask. Not interested.”

“Then if I tell you proactively, will you blame me?”

“No.”

Li Jia felt remorseful and was tormented inside. If the plan failed, she wished Hera would just scold her or hit her to vent her frustration.

Yet, she maintained this indifferent attitude.

Li Jia simply sat obediently on her lap, wiggling and squirming for a long time before finally giving a general, truncated account of the events.

Of course, it was a concise version, saying that she and Linai had accidentally seen it in the Chtabos Valley, realized that Zeus had deceived Demeter, and then sought out Eris for the sleeping pill, hoping to expose Zeus’s true colors.

“Jie-jie, as the Goddess of Marriage, are you going to stand by and watch Demeter be fooled by a bad man?” Li Jia said righteously.

Hera couldn’t help but laugh, thinking, “You risked yourself, and now you expect me to thank you?”

Li Jia said proudly, “That’s not necessary, I’m also a part of the Temple of Marriage, I should, I should.”

“Since the show has already started, let’s finish watching before we go back.”

After saying that, she led Li Jia out of the hall.

With the task completed, the rest was predictable. Li Jia greatly missed her small blanket in the inner hall and the soft, sweet candied yams baked by Winslow.

Li Jia took out her communication device and contacted Linai, only to learn that Artemis had taken her home, no wonder she hadn’t seen her at the banquet.

A while later, Demeter suddenly felt discomfort in her lower abdomen. It was the Sea God’s birthday today, and it seemed inappropriate for her to leave hastily. She waited and waited but didn’t see her husband, so she could only endure it.

It was Amphitrite who noticed her distress and helped her to the warm pavilion in the Sea God’s Palace to rest.

“Thank you for your trouble,” Demeter apologized to Amphitrite while lying on the couch.

“It’s nothing. We’re all women, and I can understand your discomfort right now.”

“Soon-to-be mother, your health is the most important thing right now, isn’t it?” Amphitrite smiled.

Seeing that Amphitrite had not left, Demeter asked her to sit by the bed and chatted with her for a while.

“I’ve sent someone to look for your husband. He should be here soon.”

Seeing Demeter gently stroking her lower abdomen, the light of motherhood radiated from within. Amphitrite looked at her: “The thought that you’ll soon have a beautiful child just like you calling you ‘Mama’ makes my heart melt.”

“Goddess of Agriculture, do you prefer a boy or a girl?” Amphitrite asked.

Female deities have the ability to conceive deities, including the ability to choose the gender. This was the right the Creator God left for them.

In fact, ordinary women become the gods who create life from the moment they have their first period.

Whether or not to create is up to them.

Males are the innate second sex because they need to use a woman’s womb to pass on their bloodline.

“During the time I conceived her, I kept having the same dream repeatedly: a red-eyed silver snake, covered in blood, carrying a beautiful baby girl and wandering around the Polos wheat fields, as if waiting for someone.”

“Later, I took the baby girl away in the dream, and that cold snake never appeared in my dream again.”

“I think this must be a guidance from Mount Olympus.”

Demeter smiled: “And I really like girls.”

This sentence already foreshadowed the imminent birth of a powerful and gentle female deity in the Polos wheat fields.

“A child is both armor and a weakness.”

Amphitrite sighed. The two mothers looked at each other, then suddenly exchanged a knowing smile.

“Poseidon doesn’t cherish you. If you are truly suffering, why don’t you apply to the Temple of Marriage for dissolution of the bond?”

“Hera has always been fair and selfless. She treats gods and mortals equally. She would help you.”

At the banquet, Poseidon was embracing beautiful sea nymphs on both sides. Amphitrite sat on his right, maintaining the divine authority and dignity of the Sea Queen, neither happy nor sad, utterly calm.

Everyone said Amphitrite was tolerant and generous, a dutiful Sea Queen.

“I used to think he loved me, but in the end, I discovered he loved himself more.”

Amphitrite’s voice was calm: “He is not important.”

“As for why I don’t dissolve the marriage bond…”

“Demeter, I am no longer a naive girl, but someone’s wife, and the Queen who controls the entire sea. I have to be a lioness who can protect her cubs.”

“What my husband does is unimportant. The important thing is that I am the only Queen on the marriage registry. The child I give birth to will be the future ruler of the ocean from the moment of their birth. You ask me to give up all of this for so-called love. That would be utterly foolish.”

“Demeter, you will find out later that love is the most illusory thing. Love requires conditions.” Amphitrite smiled bitterly, “Do you think I am a vain woman?”

Demeter held Amphitrite’s hand, her eyes full of sympathy. Finally, she said, “I understand whatever you do. I respect whatever you do.”

…

Zeus held the sea nymph by his side and kissed her on the lips. Poseidon noticed that Amphitrite hadn’t returned for a long time, so he quietly reminded Zeus not to give the game away.

Women should be appeased when necessary. Expressions of concern cost nothing, just a little thoughtfulness.

Only then did Zeus reluctantly leave the two firm mounds, inhaling the scent a couple of times before rising to leave.

The sleeping pill has a slight aphrodisiac effect, but if the user’s subjective will is not strong, they can control and endure it.

Zeus transformed into a man’s appearance and followed the guard Amphitrite had arranged to find him into the warm pavilion.

Seeing the man arrive, Amphitrite tactfully retreated.

The two remained in the warm pavilion. Zeus stroked Demeter’s cheek, lowered his head, and kissed her red lips, seeking that place of entanglement.

Demeter’s eyes widened. She didn’t want this. She tried to push the man’s kiss away, but the man gripped her neck tightly, making her unable to move.

Demeter let out inarticulate whimpers, clenching her hands into fists and forcefully pounding the man’s chest, wanting him to stop this behavior.

The man was angered by Demeter’s resistance. His hand sought to move lower, but Demeter stopped him: “I don’t want to.”

She added, “It will hurt the baby.”

Hearing her say she didn’t want to, the man laughed instead, saying playfully, “It’s okay, we can be careful.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been together. Are you really so heartless as to make me endure this? Aren’t you afraid I’ll go look for other women?”

The man teased, “Help me out, my good wife. You have to fulfill your duty as a wife, don’t you?”

Demeter’s face instantly turned pale, her voice as cold as ice: “I said, I am unwilling. It will hurt the baby.”

“That’s not up to you.”

Spurred on by the alcohol, the man prepared to force himself on her. Demeter was pregnant and severely uncomfortable, unable to exert any strength.

“Hey!”

“Didn’t you hear her? She said she’s unwilling.”

The little dancing girl stormed in with her hands on her hips.

Support